Race Beyond the Looking Glass
by ShootingStarBlitz
Summary: A mysterious character has kidnapped Vanellope. Now Rancis and friends have seven days to race to the Mirror Racer World and rescue her. Will they succeed? Will they overcome the enemies that stand in their way? Or will there be a new ruler of Sugar Rush? Please R&R.
1. Chapter 1

Rancis was laying inside the infirmary of the Candy Castle, getting his injuries treated. He was wondering if it would've been better if he were killed; at least he would've regenerated. He was just in pain right now, physically and emotionally. Everything happened so fast, and now Vanellope was gone, kidnapped by a mysterious caped racer, with a sword. He couldn't help but keeping replaying the events in his head…

* * *

It was a couple of hours ago. It was the end of the day's races, and the Random Roster Race had just finished. It was the week Mr. Litwak goes on vacation, so the racers had an entire week to relax. Vanellope, Rancis Taffyta and Candlehead had decided to go to the Candy Castle to hang out for the next few hours. They had driven up to the castle but something was terribly wrong. The entrance to the castle was broken in, and there were tire marks all over the floor of the main hall.

"What the heck is going on here!?" Vanellope asked in a loud voice.

"Somebody completely trashed the place!" Taffyta said. "You weren't planning on throwing a party were you?"

"I was considering it…" said Vanellope "But I wouldn't have driven my cart all over the place!"

"It looks like the tracks lead to somewhere in the castle." Rancis pointed out. "Let's follow them and perhaps we'll find our culprit."

The rest of thr group nodded and started following the tire tracks.

"I bet it was Gloyd pulling another one of his lame pranks again..." Taffyta said flatly.

"I don't think Gloyd is even capable of this!" Rancis said.

"Well…" Vanellope started. "Whoever did it they're going to-"

"AAHHH!" Candlehead screamed suddenly. "G-Guys? Look over there..." She had pointed over to the door leading to the Throne Room and what was in front of it. The others looked over in shock and terror. A squad of Oreo Guards, completely massacred, sliced from how it looked.

"Who would do something like this?" Taffyta asked.

"They have to be in the throne room." Said Vanellope. "Whoever it is, they can't take on all four of us"

"You sure, Vanellope?" Rancis asked. "They took out the Oreo Guards. Sure they'll regenerate soon, but whoever managed to actually do that has to be dangerous."

They peered inside the open throne room. There was a boy in there, his back facing the door. There was a cart there also that seemed to be made of French desserts, proving he was a racer. He had what looked to be a sword made of candy in his hand and was surrounded by the bodies of numerous Oreo guards. Vanellope, Taffyta and Rancis couldn't believe what they were seeing and Candlehead felt like she was going to be sick. She heaved loudly.

The boy turned around, hearing Candlehead. He was very odd looking. He had on a cream colored medieval tunic with a brown trim instead of a racing jacket and a candy wrapper cape which looked to be fastened by a creampuff. He had dark brown hair and his eyes were light brown, though they seemed to occasionally glow red. He smiled at the four near the door. It was eerily pleasant.

"Greetings, Princess Vanellope…" he said, bowing toward her.

The four were very put off by the words that came from his mouth. Not because he called Vanellope "Princess" as opposed to her preferred title of "President", but because of how kind the words were. The air he was exhibiting couldn't betray the fact that he obviously slaughtered the Oreo Guards. Yet there was no hostility in his voice. In fact he seemed calm for someone who was just caught at a murder scene.

"WH-who are you?" Vanellope asked.

"Why, I'm just a humble knight, Princess…" He said; his voice remaining eerily calm. "I've come to take you from here…"

Rancis fumed. "You're not taking Vanellope anywhere!" he charged at the boy.

"Rancis, no!" Vanellope yelled out.

Rancis couldn't hear. He was too blinded by anger. He kept charging at the boy. The boy simply sighed and sheathed his sword and punched Rancis in the stomach. Rancis fell over in pain.

"Rancis!" The three girls yelled simultaneously.

The boy turned his attention back to Vanellope.

"Like I said, Princess, you're coming with me." He looked down at Rancis. "I'd prefer if you came willingly. I wouldn't want to hurt you like I did your friend."

Vanellope eyed the boy angrily.

"Listen you creampuff," she yelled. "You're not going to get away with hurting my friend and these guards! You're going to spend so much time in the fungeon…!"

The boy just shook his head in disappointment. "I really didn't want to take force, Princess." He said. "But you've given me no choice. I don't want to keep Milady waiting." He started walking towards Vanellope, and her friends. As he walked, he shifted in various red tints. The three girls knew what this meant all too well.

"Y-You're a glitch!" Taffyta yelled, staying behind Vanellope, with Candlehead next to her.

The boy smiled and glitched himself behind Vanellope to Taffyta's position and pushed her, sending her flying to the castle wall, and knocking her out.

"Taffyta!" Candlehead rushed over to Taffyta's aid.

Vanellope turned and glitched in front of the boy, standing between him, and what he'd done.  
"How could you do something like that!?"

"It's like I said Princess, I didn't want to take force, but you've given me no choice…" The boy tried to grab Vanellope but she glitched herself away to Rancis' position.

Rancis was just barely on his feet, nearly recovered from the punch to his gut.

"You gotta get out of here, Vanellope." He said, straining.

"I don't think so..." said the boy.

He glitched himself behind Rancis and Vanellope, and hit Vanellope in the back of her neck, knocking her out. Rancis was horrified. Rage burned deep within his code

"You're gonna pay!" Rancis yelled, as he threw a punch at the boy. The boy blocked the punch and grabbed Rancis' arm.

"You're still too weak…" he said, twisting Rancis' arm and kicking him down.

He lifted Vanellope in his arms and glitched into his cart.

"I apologize for having to hurt you, but I had to. Milady needs me to bring her the Princess…" He started his cart. "In seven days, Sugar Rush will be hers." He smiled a bit, looking down at Rancis. "I have a feeling I'll meet you again. In the world beyond the looking glass. Till then, _adieu_." He sped out of the castle, with Vanellope in tow.

"D-darn you…" Rancis could only say before passing out.

* * *

"Vanellope!" Rancis yelled as he woke up in the castle infirmary.

"Calm down, man!" A familiar voiced yelled. Rancis turned his head and saw that it was Gloyd.

"Gloyd? What…?"

"Relax man..." Gloyd said. "Candlehead was the one who called for help."

"Taffyta?" Rancis asked weakly

"She hasn't woken up yet…" Gloyd remarked sadly.

Rancis looked up to the ceiling in thought.

_"I apologize for having to hurt you, but I had to. Milady needs me to bring her the Princess…"_

"That guy…"

_"In seven days, Sugar Rush will be hers."_

_"_I'll find him and whoever "Milady" is…."

_"I have a feeling I'll meet you again. In the world beyond the looking glass."_

"And I'll save Vanellope…"


	2. Chapter 2

A full day had passed since Vanellope was kidnapped, and Sugar Rush was on a full lockdown. Sour Bill took over as acting President, since he knew what most of the duties entailed. Nobody was allowed in or out of Sugar Rush until Vanellope was able to be found.

Rancis and Taffyta had recovered from their injuries and they, along with the other racers, and the Pastry Police were spread out far and wide to find Vanellope. Candlehead had told the police about the mysterious racer; the glitch who had kidnapped Vanellope, and hurt Rancis and Taffyta and were on the lookout for him as well. After a few hours of searching, Rancis, Taffyta, Candlehead and Gloyd met Sour Bill back at the castle.

"I don't understand!" Rancis yelled. There's not a lot of places for someone to hide here, yet this guy and Vanellope seem to have disappeared completely from the game!"

"He couldn't have left the game!" Taffyta said. "If he's a true glitch and not just bugged like Vanellope, he'd have nowhere to go!"

Gloyd was trying his best to keep things under control. "Now calm down!" He said. "There's no doubt that he's still in the game. We just have to figure out where he is."

Rancis was thinking. He wanted to find the guy and make him pay for kidnapping Vanellope and whoever put him up to the task. The words that the boy said kept repeating in his head.

_"I have a feeling I'll meet you again. In the world beyond the looking glass."_

"He said something about, "the world beyond the looking glass."" Rancis said.

Sour Bills eyes widened. "Did you say, 'a world beyond the looking glass?'"

Rancis nodded. "That's where he said we'd find him."

Sour Bill shook his head in disbelief. "But there's no way he could be from the Mirror Racer world!"

Suddenly, everyone's attention was on Sour Bill.

"The Mirror Racer world? What is that?" Taffyta asked.

"The Mirror Racer world is an alternate world deep inside the game." Sour Bill replied. "I learned about it from King Can- I mean Turbo, when he went inside the games code." He recalled in his head the times Turbo, in the guise of King Candy, went into the code of the game to alter it to his liking. "The Mirror World is a world where the Mirror Racers live. They live for Time Trials, a mode that's scrapped in this game. They can only cross over to this world when a gamer is playing that mode; there's no way a racer could have come here from there. It's impossible."

"Well he had to have gotten here somehow!" Taffyta thought for a second. "Remember when Vanellope showed us the hidden place in Diet Cola Mountain? What if there's another hidden area like that?"

Rancis thought about it. "Maybe there's a place in the game that connects this world with the Mirror World! But where could such a place be? There could be hidden areas all over Sugar Rush!"

"It could take forever to find another spot like that!" Candlehead said.

Sour Bill nodded. "I'll tell the Pastry Police to keep an eye out for suspicious places. If they find something, I'll let you know…"

Rancis sighed and nodded. "Alright. We'll keep looking also." Rancis knew that time was counting down. He had already wasted enough time in the castle infirmary. Now six days were left. He didn't know what the enemy was planning or how it involved Vanellope. All he knew was that he had to find her and bring her home.

* * *

Somewhere, in another place a figure cloaked in shadow sits on her throne. At her feet lays Vanellope and bowing to her, was the boy who committed the kidnapping.

_"Ah, Clair LaCrèmecape, I see you were successful on your mission." _

"Yes, Milady." He replied. "I have brought you Princess Vanellope. You were right about her. She possesses the ability to glitch even though she's a real racer."

_"Yet you were able to subdue her?"_

"Indeed, Milady." He said. "It was through the powers you granted me when I was awakened, that I was able to complete my task."

_"Very good, Clair."_ She sounded very pleased. _"I also trust you weren't seen or followed?"_

Clair swallowed nervously. "I regret to say, that I was seen by the Princess' guards and her friends." He looked up to her. "But I had managed to subdue them, and I wasn't followed…"

_"I see…"_ His leader sounded mildly annoyed. _"I was hoping you'd complete your task with no mistakes."_

"I apologize, Milady. I did not mean to disappoint." He bowed apologetically

She sighed. _"I suppose it doesn't matter. I don't expect the way to this world to remain hidden for long. By the time the inhabitants of the other world find it, my plan will already be in motion."_ Her voice became pleasant again. _"You did well, my knight. You can go."_

He bowed once more. "Thank you, Milady Marzipanne." He turned and left the throne room.


	3. Chapter 3

On the cold floor of the mirror castles dungeon, Vanellope began to awake. She rubbed her neck, still in pain from when she was knocked out by Clair.

"Ugh, where am I?" she said, as she rose up and observed her surroundings. She was clearly in a dungeon; that much she knew. It looked almost exactly like the Fungeon except it was a bit darker. She looked down at herself, noticing the chains with the words "glitch-proof" on her legs and around her body. She sighed, knowing that she wouldn't be able to escape so easily.

"Well, this is a familiar situation…" She said dryly.

* * *

Inside the Candy Castle throne room, some of the racers were meeting up to discuss some information Sour Bill had acquired from the Pastry Police. Taffyta, Rancis, Gloyd, and Candlehead were already there.

"Where's the others?" Rancis asked

"Jubi and Crumbelina are with Sour Bill." Gloyd answered. "The rest are with the people in town, trying to help the police keep things under control."

"I see." Said Rancis. "Well what's the news you had for us Taffyta?"

The Pastry Police were questioning the citizens of Sugar Rush, asking if they had seen any suspicious guys around time of Vanellope's kidnapping. Most of the citizens claimed to have seen nothing that night, but a few reports had shown that that some had seen an unknown kart come out and go into the Nougat Mines. The cart appeared to be made of French desserts, which matched the cart the boy was driving. The police had reported this information to Sour Bill, who relayed it to Taffyta and Candlehead.

"So if there's a hole that leads to the mirror world, the mines would be a good place to investigate…" Taffyta explained.

"But we drive through the Nougat Mines all the time!" Rancis said. "There's no way that there's something there!"

"Rancis we only drive through there when we're racing." Taffyta said. "It's not like we actually make time to take in the sights…"

"You're right…" Rancis said. He thought to himself for a second. "So if we do find a hole there, then rescuing Vanellope should be easy!"

"Hold on there!" Gloyd said. "Even if there is a hole to the mirror world, there's no guarantee that it's safe…"

"Yeah, I think you forgot about the glitch with the sword who knocked us out…" Taffyta said

"Ok, I get it." Said Rancis. "We have to prepare. Mod the karts, gather supplies, and whatever else."

"I think only a few of us should go." Gloyd said. "The rest of us should stay. There would be more than panic if all of us are missing…"Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Ok then…" Said Rancis. "Whoever is gonna go, get your karts ready. We'll meet at the entrance to the Nougat Mines. Someone should tell Jubi and Crumbelina, so they can be prepared also."

Everyone nodded and began to part ways. Rancis stayed behind along with Gloyd. Rancis had a look of worry on his face. Gloyd approached him.

"Hey bro, don't worry. We'll get Vanellope back." Said Gloyd

"It's not just that, Gloyd..." said Rancis. "It's that glitch. What if we face him again? I didn't think I'd survive the first time."

"Bro, the way Candlehead described him, he could've killed you anytime he wanted." Gloyd responded. "He said he was a knight, right? Maybe he didn't think it right to kill you."

"Oh great, a kidnapper with a conscience. That makes me feel _SO_ much better…"

"Don't worry about it right now, man. You'll see him again when the time comes." Gloyd put his hand on Rancis' shoulder. Rancis smiled a little, feeling at least a little comfort from the words of his friend.

"Now come on, let's go get Vanellope back."

* * *

"Hey! Someone let me out!" Vanellope yelled in desperation but she could only hear her own voice echo. She looked down at the floor of the dungeon, only looking up again when she started hearing the sound of what seemed like footsteps. On the other side of the dungeon door, a voice spoke.

"I'm afraid you aren't going anywhere, Princess." Said the voice. "I still need you for my plans."

Vanellope eyes widened, as a figure started to phase through the door of the dungeon, a red glitch aura surrounding her. The figure appeared to have a black princess dress, blond hair with curls and he same red eyes that Clair had. Her most prominent feature however, was what shocked Vanellope the most. She had her face.

"Who are you!?" Vanellope yelled.

The girl laughed.

"I bet you're expecting some cliché line like, 'I'm you.', or something." She face turned into a frown. "But I'm nothing like you…" She glitched herself directly in front of Vanellope.

"You're a glitch too!?" Vanellope yelled.

"I am Lady Marzipanne, and I'm no glitch." She grabbed Vanellopes arms. She struggled to get away, but her shackles made it impossible. "I'm much worse…" She started glitching violently.

Suddenly a scream throughout the castle dungeon. Then silence.


	4. Chapter 4

Marzipanne took her hands away from Vanellope, smiling. But just as quickly as she smiled, it turned to a frown. She looked down at Vanellope, who seemed to be asleep; a red and blue glow surrounding her, though it appeared more blue than red. She huffed angrily, and turned; walking out of the dungeon. Clair was outside the dungeon waiting for her.

"Are you alright, Milady?" He asked. "You don't seem pleased…"

"It's as I thought…" Marzipanne said. "That darn glitch of hers is keeping my virus from taking over as quickly it should."

"But Milady, isn't that why you waited for the arcade owner to go on vacation?" Clair asked. "Because you anticipated something like this?"

"I did Clair…" Marzipanne said. "But I was hoping I wouldn't have to wait." She stomped her foot in anger, the red aura around her intensifying. "I'm tired of being that girl's Mirror! Now I have to wait, who knows how long for the virus to take over, and in that time those on the other side, could find their way here! Not to mention the Mirrors who are in hiding!" The whole area began to shake, as if it were going to crumble under her rage.

"C-Calm down Milady!" Clair said worried. "I'll place one of our warriors at the entrance! And your soldiers are still working on finding the hidden Mirrors. You will be the new ruler of Sugar Rush! Please calm down!"

Marzipanne looked at Clair's worried face. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm down. Clairs words resonated in her and as she opened her eyes, a wicked smile came across her face.

"You're right, my knight." She said. "It's only just a matter of time. Thank you for reminding me."

"Of course, Milady." Said Clair. "Rage does not suit you. I shall go and send one of our best warriors to the portals entrance." He bowed and started to walk up the stairs to the main halls of the castle.

"Clair?"

Clair stopped on the staircase, hearing Marzipannes call. "Yes, Milady?"

"Send Cadbury."

"…Of course, Milady."

* * *

Rancis had driven back to his home; a peanut butter cup not too far from the castle. He needed to prepare for the drive to the Mirror World, and he could think of only one thing. He pressed a button on his Kit Kart, which opened the door to his garage. In there was a second kart, the RV1; a kart he and Vanellope made together, a symbol of their friendship.

"Right then…" He parked the Kit Kart in the garage, hopped out of it, and just as quickly hopped into the RV1. "Just like Gloyd said." He said as he started up the kart. "Let's get her back!" He shifted the kart into gear and sped off, the garage door closing behind him.

* * *

Clair was walking through the castle halls, with a stern look on his face. The orders he was given by Marzipanne, kept replaying in his head.

"Cadbury, huh?" He said. "Well this should be interesting."

He came to a door with the word 'Cadbury' on it and opened it. The room inside was bright, and there was a boy in there combing his hair in front of a mirror. He had short caramel colored hair and was wearing a modified brown and yellow racing outfit. He wore the jacket like a cape. His back was turned to Clair. Clair leaned against the door and sighed.

"Is there ever a time you're not grooming yourself?" Clair asked.

"'Love thyself', Clair, 'love thyself'." The boy responded. "That's what I live by." He put the comb down on the table in front of the mirror. "If you're, here I'm guessing Lady Marzipanne has a job for me."

"She does." Clair said. "She believes that the racers from the other side may be coming soon to rescue the Princess. She wants you to go to the mines and guard the portal if they do manage to find it."

"Really, Clair? That's grunt work." Said Cadbury. "Don't you have something a little more worth my time? Like finding the Mirrors that are in hiding?"

"You know that's being taken care of, Cadbury." Clair said. "Besides, don't you want to meet the other you?" There was silence for a moment. Cadbury's hands were gripped to the table. A smirk went across his face.

"Now, you have my attention…!"

* * *

Rancis drove his kart up the Ice Cream Mountains to the entrance of the Nougat Mines. Taffyta, Candlehead and Gloyd were already there.

"You took your time didn't you…" said Taffyta

"Look, I'm sorry, but I went home to switch karts. The RV1 could be useful." Rancis said.

"Well while you were taking your time getting that, we did some looking around." Taffyta said. "We found a hidden area in the mine."

"Wait, seriously?" Rancis asked.

"Yeah!" Candlehead said. "It's blocked by a "Keep Out" sign and everything!"

"But it doesn't lead anywhere…" Gloyd said. "We waited for you so you can see." Rancis nodded.

"Ok, let's go check it out." He said. The rest of the group nodded in agreement and drove into the mine. It was a different feeling driving through the mine when it wasn't being raced through. There was more to see, areas unexplored. Surely enough, there was a part of the mine that had a keep out sign. But it was strange. The area the sign was for was a dead-end; a cavern leading nowhere. There wasn't even a remote chance that it could cave in. Rancis got out of his kart.

"Ok, this is strange…" He said.

"See?" Said Gloyd. "So, maybe this is it!"

Rancis started feeling along the walls. If there was a doorway hidden there, it would be in the wall. The others go out of their karts to assist him. Almost all of them were feeling nothing but the wall. Candlehead was just pushing against random parts of the wall. When she pushed against the edge of the wall again, her arm went through. She let out a yelp. The others turned their attention to her.

"Candlehead, are you ok?" Gloyd asked.

"I almost fell through!" she yelled.

Rancis smiled. "Candlehead, you found it!"

Candlehead just blinked. "I did?" Then she smiled. "I did, I did!" The rest put their hands through the wall also, showing that it was at least wide enough for a kart to go through.

"Awesome, Candlehead!" Rancis exclaimed. "Come on guys, let's go!" Rancis and the others got into their carts and drove through the hidden doorway. When they drove to the other side, it was less than they expected.

"I-It's still the mine!" Rancis yelled out.

"Calm down, Rancis!" Gloyd said. "Maybe the mine exists in the Mirror World too…"

_"And you couldn't be any more right!"_

The others looked around wondering where that voice came from.

"Who's there!?" Rancis yelled.

A figure walked out of the shadows of the cavern. The group gasped in horror at what they saw. This figure; this boy had Rancis' face! He laughed before speaking.

"The name's Cadbury. And you're trespassing…"


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I apologize for the delay in this chapter. Sudden sickness combined with writers block kept this chapter from being completed for a while, but I finally got it done. I'd like o thank those who read and those who reviewed. You guys keep me going and you all just rock for that. Anyway, here's the next chapter of RBTLG. I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Rancis looked in shock, at Cadbury's face. His face.

"Who the heck are you!? Why do you look like me?" Rancis yelled. Cadbury just shook his head.

"Wow, you're not too bright are you?" Cadbury said. "Mirror World, Mirror Racers. This making any sense to you, buddy? I'm YOU!" He chuckled a bit. "Well, I guess not quite you; I'm much better looking." Taffyta and Candlehead looked at each other in confusion. Gloyd shook his head. Rancis was still absorbing the fact that there's another him.

"Oh my gosh, he's even worse than you when you're looking at yourself in a mirror, Rancis." Taffyta said. Rancis just sighed. He clearly had enough of this doppelgangers talking.

"Listen guy, we really need to get by." Rancis said. "So if you don't mind, we'll be leaving now." Cadbury laughed at Rancis' statement.

"Oh, but I do mind!" He said. "Didn't you hear what I said? You're trespassing! That means you don't belong here." His eyes turned red. "Now you all be good boys and girls and turn back, or I'm gonna have to take care of you myself!" He became enveloped by a deep red aura, as he reached to his side and pulled out what appeared to be a candy long dagger. "So what's it gonna be?"

"How about this?" Taffyta said. She reached into her kart and pulled out a huge black cherry. "Light it, Candlehead!" she said, tossing the cherry to her. Candlehead caught the cherry, and lit the stem using the candle on her head. Cadbury's eyes widened.

"Are you crazy!? You'll blow us all up!"

"Take this!" Candlehead shouted throwing the cherry at Cadbury. It exploded and covered the entire cave in a shroud of smoke. Everyone, including Cadbury was coughing.

"Come on, let's get out of here!" Taffyta said with a cough. The others revved their engines and drove past Cadbury who was still coughing. They made their way out of the smoke and through the rest of the mine.

"Well, the welcoming committee seemed nice enough." Said Gloyd.

"Oh yeah, I felt really welcome." Said Taffyta sarcastically.

The smoke was starting to clear inside the mine. Cadbury was still inside, waving his arms around trying to clear away the smoke and coughing. He looked and had noticed that the trespassers had escaped. He scowled.

"Oh, don't you think it's going to be that easy!" He yelled. He punched the walls of the mine. The whole mine started to shake. "I'll bury you all!"

Stalactites were falling down around Rancis and friends.

"What's going on!?" Taffyta yelled.

"The mine is collapsing!" Candlehead responded.

"I thought that bomb wasn't explosive!" Gloyd said.

"It's not, you pumpkin head!" Taffyta yelled. "It's a smoke bomb! Something else is making the mine collapse!"

"It doesn't matter! Let's just get out of here!" Rancis yelled. They continue on at high speed as the cave seems to collapse all around them, dodging the stalactites getting closer and closer to crushing their karts as they stay barely out of the increasing harm's way. Eventually they see a light up ahead.

"There!" Taffyta points "Gun it! Give it all you got!" The four racers push their karts o the limit. With a final burst of speed, they made it out of the cave before the entrance collapsed. Right outside of the mine, in the Ice Cream Mountain they drifted to a stop.

"Is everyone ok?" Rancis asked.

"We're all here." Said Gloyd. He sighed loudly. "That was pretty intense. I'm surprised we made it out."

"All of us, except Rancis' evil twin." Said Taffyta. "He talked big, but in the end he buried himself." Rancis nodded in agreement to the statement. They haven't been in this world for too long, and the first guy they meet, is a murderous doppelganger. Rancis wondered about what else they would face. Were there others? And if there are, could they hopefully not be like Cadbury?

* * *

"_He talked big, but in the end he buried himself."_

"That's what you think." On the higher part of the Ice Cream Mountain, Cadbury, seeming miraculously unscathed, was looking down on the four racers. "As long as I have this virus, I'm invincible. Enjoy your time here for now, because you're not making it to the castle…" He laughed to himself. "I did what Clair wanted. Guess I'd better report back to him." He said before disappearing in a streak of red.

* * *

Inside the castle, Clair was in his room, sitting at a table facing the window. He was wondering if Cadbury was the right choice to guard the mine. 'I dare not question Milady out loud, but I'm not sure if Cadbury was the best choice to send. He's strong, but he's vain, and he talks too much. He tries too hard to show his strength, and I fear that might get him killed someday.' He smirked a little. 'But, he's the mirror of the one who tried to fight me on the other side. That alone interests me and it's for that reason I sent Cadbury on this mission with a few secret orders...' His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden knock on his door. "Come in." He said. The door opened, showing Cadbury as the visitor. "Well, that was fast, Cadbury. He made it through, then?" Cadbury laughed and smirked.

"Well, not without some trouble." He said. "He has crafty friends, that's for sure." Cadbury's smirk turned into a frown. "I don't see why I couldn't have just killed him. Lady Marzipanne is going to be upset when you have to tell her that they got through. Why are you so interested in him?" Clair sighed at the question.

"I'm not quite sure." He said, with a laugh.

"Whatever, weirdo." Cadbury said. "I'm going to my quarters; I have to wash Nougat Mine out of my hair." He left and closed the door, leaving Clair alone once again. He sighed once again.

'The truth is, when we he tried to fight me, and save the Princess, I felt something inside my code. Something familiar, but at the same time completely foreign to me.' He made a fist and slammed it on the table. 'And it bugs the heck out of me!' He sighed once again. "No matter. If it comes down to it, I'll eliminate him myself and rid myself of whatever this feeling is." He got up and walked to his door. "Time to report to Milady. She won't be too mad that racers from the other side made it through…"


End file.
